My belief is that religion is man made and causes far more trouble throughout the world than BDSM ever could.

Spookily, I had just come online to post something, which on reflection, might be better off being added to this discussion.

Humans seem to crave structures in their life and having a mystic higher being to look up to and live according to his rules, works well for some. However, my god is my husband. In effect, I have converted to his faith. I have given up my life to worship at his alter and he in turn has led me on an incredible spiritual journey to submission.

Don't you think that the route to submission resembles the path which people of religion take to be nearer to and better understand their God?
The strict routines, the denial of simple pleasures, the pain and the hardship –these practises are not dissimilar to the spiritual journeys that other cultures and religions often glorify.

After my marriage, my husband asked me to get rid of all my possessions – clothes, books, PC, make up, photos – all the things I’d collected over my life and thought of as being an important part of who I was. I really didn’t want to lose them but I wanted to lose him even less, so I did it. He spent almost an entire day ritually emptying everything I possessed onto a bonfire. He even cut up my passport and driving licence (I have a new licence now) and cut my hair short, so that I was left standing naked and bereft in front of him – the few possessions and items of clothing he’d allowed me to keep, barely filling a packing case.

Since that day he has tutored and nurtured me, from the arrogant twenty year old, know it all that I was, into the humble, giving (if a little feisty at times) person I am now. It has been a spiritual journey of personal growth that happens to have sexual gratification at its core. Is that so bad?